Monday, July 23, 2012

WARAQ ENAB/ STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES



Dolma/ Warak Enab/ Yabrak or Yalanji is a family of stuffed vegetable dishes in the cuisines of the former Ottoman Empire and surrounding regions, including Turkey, Egypt, Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, the Balkans, Greece, Iraq, Iran, Northern Sudan, Central and South Asia. Perhaps the best-known is the grape-leaf dolma, which is more precisely called yabrak, Yalanji(Arabic: يلنجي )or Warak enab mehshi (in Arabic ورق عنب محشي) is a same.
It's an Arabic popular dish of Lebanese origin. The plate is composed by vine leaves stuffed with rice, principally. Yalanji/ dolma/ warak Enab/ Yabrak is an appetizer dish mostly served at Lebanese, Syrian and Jordanian famous restaurants.
The stuffing may or may not include meat. Stuffed Grape Leaves can be served as a side dish or a main dish. At restaurants it is usually served as a side dish, but when cooked at home it is mostly considered as a main dish. Warak enab is famous in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Palestine, Egypt and Iraq.
Here is a step by step my recipe on how to make a vegetarian warak enab.
Cinnamon and mint seasoning make this version of a popular eastern Mediterranean food typically Lebanese and Syria.

1 jar vine/grape leaves
2 1/2 cups rice
2 whole garlic cloves
8 garlic cloves crushed with salt
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon arabic mixed spices
2 cubes MAGGI chicken cube
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh corrainder leave, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh spring onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 medium sized tomato, chopped
1 tsp dried mint

Dip/ soften the vine leaves in boiling water for 1 minute, remove and set aside.
Wash rice and mix with all teh ingredients.
Open the vine leaves on a board one at a time.
Put 1 tsp of the mixture on the center of each leave, fold in 2 sides to the middle then roll tightly to form a cylinder about three inches long and somewhat thicker than a cigar.
Repeat until finish all the leaves or the stuffing.


Place the vine leave in the bottom of a saucepan, then put the stuffed leaves on top, Put whole garlic.
Sprinkle with MAGGI cubes and add water.
Use a plate to fit inside the saucepan as a lid, to stop the vine leaves from opening.
Cook on slow heat for about 1 hour when the leaves are well cooked.
Remove vine leaves carefully from pot/pan.
Cool fingers in cold water to facilitate handling the hot rolls.
Arrange on platter.
Serve hot/cold.

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